Judge Resigns After Paying Fine in Alleged Road Rage Incident
A Maryland judge has resigned from the bench after paying a fine for reckless driving earlier this year arising from an alleged road rage incident.
Judge Brian Kim of Rockville, Md., resigned to “seek a new opportunity,” his lawyer, Barry Helfand, told the Washington Post.
Kim’s $510 fine stems from an October 2010 incident in which a lawyer called 911 to report a driver who began to tailgate her after she left her parking garage near the courthouse, the Washington Post reported in an April article. The lawyer, Rachel Viglianti of Rockville, said the driver pulled up beside her, yelling and gesturing, while they were traveling at 70 miles an hour. She alleged the car zoomed into her lane, forcing her to slam on the brakes. In a written report, Viglianti said she feared for her life and the driver “looked crazed and furious.”
The Post describes Kim as a “colorful and controversial figure in Rockville legal circles” who is “known for running a tight courtroom.” This year a watchdog group expressed concern about Kim’s demeanor with domestic-violence victims.
